This invention relates in general to a watering and nutrient supply device for plants. More specifically, this device relates to an apparatus for supplying water and nutrients to a plant or tree that has been severed from its root system. In particular, this device applies to supplying water and nutrients to Christmas trees.
The prior art is repleat with examples of methods and apparatus for supplying water and nutrients to Christmas trees. Although an important factor for the existence of such an apparatus is cosmetic, due to the desire of people to maintain the appearance of a living tree, as in the instance of Christmas trees, a primary, and most important, feature of the present invention is to reduce the combustibility of natural trees utilized as Christmas trees. This is particularly important when one considers that virtually all Christmas trees have electric lights hung upon them.
Various prior art inventions of interest are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,760 to Ambrose, a watering device specifically adapted to Christmas trees. This device is a rudimentary funnel which is adapted to facilitate the process of supplying water to the tray incorporated within a common Christmas tree stand. The Ambrose device is merely illustrative of one specific application within the general field covered by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,969 to Sokol, for an automatic water dispenser for a tree, illustrates a variation on the common Christmas tree stand and tray referred to in the previous paragraph. The Sokol device is specifically applicable to Christmas trees, and addresses the need for supplying water for up to a two week period of time from a supply tank incorporated into the common Christmas tree stand, without the necessity for frequent fillings of the tray within the Christmas tree stand throughout the Christmas season. The Sokol device does not address situations where it is, or might be, desired to maintain plant life longer than 2 weeks throughout a Christmas Season, and exhibits nothing in the way of improvements in introduction of fluids and nutrients to a plant over the standard Christmas tree tray and stand.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,938,304 to Thomas et. al, again is specifically adapted to a means for watering Christmas trees. The Thomas device illustrates two embodiments which again are mere variations on a common, standard Christmas stand and water tray. The variations include a remote funnel and a fluid conduit extending from the funnel to the tray. One embodiment of the Thomas device utilizes sharp edges on the tray incorporated within the common stand. The sharp edges which are driven into the bottom of the trunk of the Christmas tree to provide a seal, and the remote funnel and fluid line is located above the location of the stand to provide for a gravity feed, or actually, a pressure feed, due to the hydrostatic pressure of the head of the funnel above the stand. A second embodiment of the Thomas device utilizes a similar hydrostatic head provided by the funnel located above the water tray incorporated within the stand, but the sealing provision of the second Thomas embodiment is provided by a funnel shaped rubber member disposed within the water tray located on the stand itself. Neither of the embodiments illustrated by Thomas could be utilized for a plant which has not been severed from its root system, as could the apparatus of the present invention.
The Kleckner device, U.S. Pat. No. 1,240,713 illustrates a device for applying a fluid substance to the surface of a plant, rather than a device for introduction of a fluid substance into the sap carrying capillaries within the inner layer of a plant. In addition, the Kleckner device operates by means of increasing atmospheric pressure within the container through the use of an air pump, after the matter of an atomizer.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,756,453 to Davey et. al, illustrates a method of treating trees, and apparatus therefore, which illustrates a means for introducing the chemicals into a living tree through a boring in a tree trunk by means of a pressure injection pump. Davey specifically teaches an "improvement over gravity feed process with pressures, which not only equal the hydrostatic pressure in the tree, but which may be made to greatly exceed those hydrostatic pressures and speed up the rate of injection." The method of Applicant's invention in contrast utilizes the natural hydrostatic pressures of a living plant to drive the fluid flow process. In addition, the present invention provides a much improved sealing mechanism over that of the Davey reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,805,550 to Lipman et. al, is directed to a method of production of a wood product, and not to a method of preserving the life and appearance of a living plant severed from its root system. The Lipman reference does illustrate a feed injection apparatus for introduction of fluids into the sap flow of a tree for distribution throughout the cellular structure of the tree by sap circulation. However, as with the Davey reference previously described, the present invention provides an improved connection of the injection apparatus to a tree, which is desirable where a plant is desired to be sustained alive indefinitely in contrast to the Lipman apparatus where a simple short term distribution of toxics throughout a tree prior to its harvest is the goal.
The Martinez Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,468 teaches a method and apparatus for natural fertilization and irrigation of plants, which can broadly be applied to the several fields to which the present invention is applicable. A particular problem with the Martinez device is that the microporous (ceramic) insert nozzle can become blocked, clogged by impurities, sediments, or precipitates. The nozzle is glued or sealed in and cannot be back flushed. The apparatus of the present invention describes a much improved reusable connection apparatus, seal, and method.
In summary, it is apparent that none of the prior art references equals the apparatus and method of the present invention for supplying water and nutrients to a living plant, and for maintaining the life and appearance of a living plant which has been severed from its root system.